Melbourne Archdiocese Rejects Most of Its Own Review's Recommendations on Compensation Scheme

By Jane Lee
The Age
March 3, 2017

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbourne-archdiocese-rejects-most-of-its-own-reviews-recommendations-on-compensation-scheme-20170303-guqg8k.html

The Melbourne Archdiocese has rejected a recommendation that it extend its internal compensation scheme to secondary victims of child sexual abuse, including to parents and children of abuse.

Survivors of clergy abuse have long criticised the scheme - established by Cardinal George Pell in 1996 - for failing to properly compensate them for life-long trauma and in some cases adding to it. They also say that the church awards greater compensation when victims launch lawsuits.

Commissioner Andrew Murray (L), Justice Peter McClellan(C) and Justice Jennifer Coate (R) listen to senior counsel assisting Gail Furness at the Cardinal George Pell testimony in Sydney, Monday 29 Feb, 2016 during a video link from Rome, Italy at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearing. Photo Jeremy Piper age news 29/2/2016 Supplied pictures from the Royal Commission in Sydney today of the testimony of Cardinal George Pell from Rome Photo: Jeremy Piper

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart announced in April 2014 that he had appointed former Federal Court judge Donnell Ryan, QC, to review the Melbourne Response, the church's internal compensation scheme for victims while giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. ?Despite receiving Mr Ryan's report four months later, the archdiocese only tendered its recommendations to the royal commission last week.

Last November, the church revealed it would double the payment cap from $75,000 to $150,000 and previously agreed to review past claims.

Cardinal George Pell could still be charged over sex abuse allegations, says Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton. Photo: Riccardo De Luca

But a statement released late on Friday showed it has rejected most of the report's 17 recommendations, which are largely aimed at increasing the number of victims able to access it and making the scheme more independent from the church. Spokesman Shane Healy said the archdiocese would not provide further comment on the report.

Anthony and Chrissie Foster, whose daughters Emma and Katie were sexually abused by clergy, successfully sued the church for compensation and have long pushed for the suggested changes to the Melbourne Response.

Mr Foster described the church's rejection as "hypocritical".

"How can we believe their culture has changed and they can protect children of the future when they are refusing to look after children who were victims of clergy in the past?"

(SUPPLIED IMAGE) Senior Counsel Assisting Gail Furness at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse into the Catholic Church authorities (Case Study 50) in Sydney, Monday, 6 February, 2016. Photographer Jeremy Piper Royal Commission Into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. Supplied Images Photo: Jeremy Piper

Mr Ryan recommended the archdiocese offer compensation to family members and carers of victims who were directly affected by abuse.

The archdiocese said it would continue to offer counselling for secondary victims but that it "adopts the position of the Royal Commission that redress is only available to a survivor of institutional child sexual abuse to ensure the affordability, sustainability and workability of the scheme."

Eileen Piper 92 arrives at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Eileen's daughter committed suicide after being sexually abused by a priest. Sydney, NSW. 23rd February, 2017. Photo: Kate Geraghty Photo: Kate Geraghty

Viv Waller, a lawyer who has represented 60 survivors through the Melbourne Response, said the archdiocese was not embracing the "substance" of the report and instead delaying changing the scheme before a national redress scheme is established.

"The impact of the abuse is lasting and intergenerational...particularly when we understand the high rates of suicide that come along with this kind of horrible territory."

Mr Ryan also recommended that the compensation scheme be extended to anyone who was allegedly abused by someone in Victoria under the control of a Victorian Bishop.

The archdiocese said it did not have the power to do this, but reiterated that it supports the national redress scheme currently being designed by the government's advisory group, and, failing that a Victorian redress scheme.

While work on the national scheme is underway, Ms Waller said the church should do all it can to improve its support for victims, including those who are elderly and have urgent medical needs.

"There's a deep fear they're just delaying and hoping that the (national) redress scheme is watered down during political process and will require them to do less."

The Melbourne Archdiocese has never released the full report of the Ryan review.